the hitchhiker
by ithinkinstories
Summary: "Naruto!" I hear them both call, but I don't stop. I just run. I realize as I run that I'm actually getting deeper into the compound rather than getting out of it. Neji and Tenten continue to call me, but I still keep going. I glance up and see something that stops me in my tracks; a private cemetery. Calling all urban legend lovers!


**Hello,**

 **This is a story that I wrote about five years or so ago. It has been edited, cleaned up in a lot of ways and reflects my current style a bit more. A little background on this- I am a HUGE horror fan, I'm not going to lie. I love a good suspense, thriller, and otherwise scary story, especially the classic urban legends. You know, the I have a friend who has a cousin who has a hairdresser who has a sister who has an uncle that swears this happened to an acquaintance of his. Those kind of stories never get old, and are very fun to share. This is how I'm sharing them, featuring favorite characters of mine.**

 **I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it.  
**

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' _Finally!'_ I internally rejoice as I step out into the cool air of the November night. It's hot in the ramen restaurant where I work part-time, so the gentle breeze feels great on my skin. I hear rustling and look down to see two or three leaves chasing each other across the deserted parking lot. With a smile, I head toward my car, ready to go home. As I open the door, the wind picks up, whipping any skin that isn't covered. I hurry and get in the driver's seat before closing the door. I shiver as I start my car and turn up the heat. I chuckle as I think about the few seconds that it took me to change my mind regarding the temperature of the night. I wait a few minutes for the windows to defrost, watching as the foggy glass clears. I thank Kami-sama for the warmth that pervades the small automobile, turn on the headlights and drive out of the parking lot.

"Hello-o Konoha!" reaches my ears when I turn up the radio. "This is DJ Dawg sending another instant hit your way!" The DJ howls. I can't help but laugh at how he announces everything. That's just Kiba for you. As long as he is heard, he can make just about everyone laugh. The latest song from Katy Perry comes on and I quickly pop in the CD of my favorite band. Humming along to the tune of my favorite song, I keep somewhat focused on the road. After the song ends, I don't really listen, and just let the music float in one ear and out the other. I begin to let my brain go on autopilot, which will be sufficient to get me the rest of the way home, when I see someone walking on the side of the road. The first thing that I notice is that she has pretty features, even from the back. She has long, dark hair, and wears a light colored dress that, like her fair skin, stands out against the night. I roll down my window and slow to a stop beside her, drawing her attention.

"Hey there." I greet her. "What are you doing out here this late? It's cold and dangerous."

I get a good look at her pretty and seemingly soft face that shows her surprise.

"Um, I-I'm j-just going home," she stutters. I have to admit that it's adorable.

"Well how about I give you a lift? Like I said, it's cold and dangerous, especially for a pretty girl like you!" I exclaim.

She blushes severely and brings hands up to tap her fingers together shyly. "Oh, u-um I d-don't want to cause you any trouble…" She squeaks timidly.

"It's no trouble! I love to help people out! Hop in!" I encourage her, desperately hoping that she'll agree. I would absolutely hate to hear that anything happened to her. "I promise, I'm not a creep!"

I watch her as she considers my offer, and then feel a fluttering in my chest as she gives me a tiny smile with a slight nod. I flash a huge grin and unlock the door, keeping an eye on her as she opens the passenger side and gracefully gets in.

"Thank you." She mutters as soon as the door is closed.

"No problem. So where do you live?" I ask.

"At the Hyuuga Compound."

"Oh! So you're a Hyuuga? My friend Neji is a Hyuuga too. What's your name?"

"H-Hinata."

"Nice to meet you Hinata-chan, I'm Uzumaki Naruto!"

"It's a p-pleasure to m-meet you too, Naruto-san."

I give her my friendliest smile before moving on. After driving for a few seconds, I notice that she's shivering. I quickly turn the heat up to full power. It seems to help a little, but she's still clearly cold. I feel bad, but then I remember that I have a spare jacket in the back seat.

"Hey Hinata-chan, there's a jacket in the back seat that you can put on."

She turned to look at me. "Oh, um, it's okay. I-I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Y-yes."

I let it go until about two minutes pass and she's still obviously freezing. I reach into the back seat and grab my orange zip-up hoodie, then hand it to her, all without taking my eyes off the road.

"Please, it's bugging me, seeing you cold," I insist. I sense her tense up, before relaxing and putting the jacket on.

"Thank you." She says for the second time.

I feel happy, knowing that I'm helping her. Despite the music, it seems utterly silent and I feel awkward.

"So… Um, where were you coming from? What were you doing out this late?" I inquire, trying to make conversation.

My questions take her aback. "I-I was with my friends, and I didn't w-want them to go out of their way t-to take me home."

"Oh… So, how are you and Neji related? Is he like your brother or something?"

"He's my cousin."

"Cool. He's kinda… I don't know how to put it nicely…" I smile sheepishly. It's kind of a surprise when she starts giggling. I didn't think Hyuugas did that.

"Yes. Many people say that. His gi-girlfriend says that he's emotionally constipated."

It's impossible not to laugh along with her, even if I want to, which I don't. We laugh together for about two more seconds, before the silence resumes, not nearly as awkward as before. Sooner than I'd like, I pull up to the Hyuuga Compound, mentally sighing as I stop.

"Thank you again, Naruto," she says softly.

"Happy to help," I look over at her to find her looking at me. She smiles slightly before doing something that completely catches me off guard. She kisses me on the cheek. I'm not one to get nervous or shy, but I freeze up and just stare as she gets out of the car.

I watch as she walks up the front walk… and then disappears. This breaks me out of my state, as I blink and try to find her. She's not anywhere. I brush it off as me being more tired than I thought. Turning face the front windshield, I suddenly remember that she had my jacket. I jump out of the car and enter the compound. I don't know where Hinata lives, so I head to Neji's. As I approach, I can hear girlish giggling and roll my eyes, knowing that it belonged to Tenten, Neji's girlfriend. Only Neji could get the tomboy to sound like that. I should probably leave them alone and ask him another time, but I rarely do what I should.

"What the heck are you doing here this late, Naruto?" Neji snaps when he opens the door, following my impatient knock.

"Sorry to interrupt your _alone time_ , Neji, but I need you to tell me where your cousin lives. I just dropped her off and she had been wearing my jacket when she got out of the car."

Neji's irritated expression morphs into one of confusion. "You know where Hanabi-sama lives."

I shake my head. "Not Hanabi, Hinata."

The confusion instantly shifts into a glare. "That's not funny at all, Naruto."

Now it's my turn to be confused. "What's not funny?"

Neji opened his mouth to speak but cuts off when Tenten comes up behind him.

"Neji, he doesn't know." She speaks with a somber tone.

Neji takes a second to think. "Then how? It's impossible! There's no way!"

"Will someone tell me what the big deal is?" I snap.

He sighs heavily and his face falls.

Tenten puts a hand on his shoulder and then fixes her eyes on me. "Naruto, Hinata is dead. She's been dead for… one year today…"

I want to roll my eyes and copy Neji with the 'not funny' line, but I don't think that either of these two would pull someone's leg like that. They're serious. "No way! I just drove her here! I talked to her!"

Neji's head whips up and focuses a steely gaze on me. "I don't know what happened but everything that you've said since you got here is impossible. Hinata-sama is gone. A drunk driver hit her on her way home. Today is the first anniversary of her death."

I think for a minute before it clicks. Hinata had said that she was on her way home from being with her friends tonight. She must have been hit near where I picked her up. The epiphany doesn't make the truth any easier to accept.

"No!" I cry, spinning around and running away from Neji's house.

"Naruto!" I hear them both call, but I don't stop. I just run. I realize as I run that I'm actually getting deeper into the compound rather than getting out of it. Neji and Tenten continue to call me, but I still keep going. I glance up and see something that stops me in my tracks; a private cemetery. If what they said really is true, the evidence will be here. I lose control as my feet continue to move on their own, slowly walking to the lines of headstones. One stands out to me, pulling me toward it.

In the darkness, I can barely make out the engraving:

 **Hyuuga Hinata**

 **December 27, 1993- November 22, 2012**

 **Beloved daughter, sister, cousin and heiress**

The inscribed name and dates are proof enough of what Neji and Tenten told me, but there is also support of what I said. Neatly folded on the grave is my orange jacket.

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 **So, there that is. I hope it doesn't freak too many of you out. I've gotten comments back from people saying they were going to have nightmares, and I really hope it doesn't happen to too many people. I don't think it's that scary, personally.**

 **Please review, but also please follow the rule that if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all (constructive criticism is nice).**

 **'Til next time, my lovelies.  
-stmew**


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